Saint Seiya Romance Collection
by Naotoki Yamanouchi
Summary: Chapter 6: Sometimes, first impressions are not all they seem.
1. You're Still Beautiful

A/N: This is dedicated to my big sis (she adopted me lol) Lady Dragon 808. She likes the AphroditeXDeathmask pairing, and since it honestly doesn't bother me (I really can't see Aphrodite as a heterosexual, especially after seeing Albafica and noting (with joy) that Albafica did not wear makeup and actually looked like a man), I figured I'd try my hand at it. Maki, I hope you enjoy this one. If not…well, I have other pairings. Hehe. I hope they don't seem too OOC here. I am trying to present them as human beings with actual feelings and emotions…

This is my New Year's Resolution fic, as one of my resolutions was to update my crap more regularly. As I have 9 original pairings and 8 Lost Canvas ones for this collection, I will be alternating. Next chapter will be one off my Lost Canvas list. I will put a complete list and when I will be updating in my profile, so you can keep track of this project. Enjoy!

Title: You're Still Beautiful

Pairing: Aphrodite and Deathmask

Aphrodite groaned, the carelessness of a long night of drinking himself to oblivion taking its toll on his head. He cursed as he struggled to his feet, swaying dangerously and almost falling back down. He hadn't even made it to his bed. His hair was tangled and frizzy, the result of sleeping on it wet. His shirt wasn't properly buttoned, his pants were gone-probably he had been trying to undress for bed, but had been too drunk to manage. He could feel the mascara he hadn't bothered washing off clinging to his eyelashes, and he noted, to his absolute dismay that he smelled like a water buffalo on a hot day. The combination of sweat and alcohol was not pleasant.

He pressed his long, pale, trembling hand to his head, as the full weight of the night before rushed back to him, forcing him back to his knees. He'd been dumped. Thrown out like a sack of potatoes. Even worse, he'd found out his boyfriend had been cheating on him with a woman. The rejection hurt a lot worse than he expected it to hurt. He would not cry, though. He had cried enough. Even if he wasn't feeling particularly pretty at the moment (or pretty at all, really), he had to pick himself up, put on a brave face, and go about his business as if nothing was wrong.

He grabbed hold of his vanity table and pulled himself back to his feet, determined to stay upright this time. He caught sight of his face in the mirror and cringed. It was worse than he could ever have imagined.

He gazed back at his reflection-pale, puffy cheeks, rimmed with dark circles and caked on mascara. His eyes were blood-shot and swollen, his lips were chapped. He looked as if he had a bad case of the flu-which is exactly what he felt like. His head was pounding, and everything hurt. His stomach most of all.

Suddenly, he had a race to win. He staggered to the bathroom as fast as his clumsy feet would allow and made it just in time.

As his insides twisted out, he felt warm, calloused fingers pull his tangled mess of hair away from his face and hold it out of the way. The brush of the fingers against his neck sent involuntary shivers down his spine.

"Well, looks like you had fun last night without me", the all-too-familiar voice said. "I'm disappointed. If you were going drinking, you should have invited me. Here I was thinking you were going out with Marcello."

Was it Aphrodite's imagination, or was there venom in his friend's voice at the name Marcello?

He pulled away from the toilet and gazed up at the tall, well-built man behind him. They'd been through so much together that he didn't hesitate. Maybe talking to someone would help.

"We broke up", he whispered; flinching at how pathetic he sounded. "Well, he broke up with me. He was also cheating on me with a woman."

"That's his loss then, isn't it? You could have any man you wanted, why waste tears over this asshole? Want me to go scalp him for you? It's been years since I added a new face to my wall."

Aphrodite chuckled.

"What am I going to do with you, Angelo?"

His visitor looked thoughtful as he tapped a tanned finger to his chin.

"Hmm…You could start by not calling me Angelo. It's Deathmask now."

Aphrodite rolled his eyes.

"I refuse to call you by that ridiculous name."

Deathmask smirked.

"Well, how about going into town for breakfast with me?"

Aphrodite frowned.

"Breakfast?"

Deathmask rolled his eyes.

"You know. The first meal of the day? You've got to eat something. Consider it repayment for not inviting me to drink with you last night."

"I didn't drink for fun!" Aphrodite huffed.

Blue-violet eyes narrowed and Deathmask pursed his lips.

"You can't mean you actually cared about that son of a bitch?"

Aphrodite pulled himself to his feet, his baby blue eyes blazing.

"Of course I did! Why else would I have dated him?"

"I don't know. Why would you date a talentless reject like that? You could do much better."

"Better?"

The fire died from Aphrodite's eyes.

"You know. Someone who will treat you properly?"

Aphrodite snorted.

"Like you know the first thing about treating people properly."

Deathmask cocked his head.

"Don't I?"

"You're rude, you're arrogant. You lack empathy, you can be downright aggressive at times-"

"I stand by and am loyal to the people who matter. I might not be "sweet", but I do stick with the few people I wish to be bothered with until the very end."

Aphrodite nodded. That much was true. Come Hell or high water (both terms quite literal for them), Deathmask had always had his back.

"I'll give you that", he conceded.

A smile lit up the Cancer Saint's face, and Aphrodite blinked, as though seeing him for the first time. Had he always been so handsome?

"So, are you going to come to town with me, or do I have to drag you by your hair?"

Aphrodite flinched.

"Now? Like this! I look horrible. I need to shower and get dressed, and fix my hair, do my makeup…"

Deathmask gently reached over and fixed the buttons on Aphrodite's shirt.

"You still look beautiful to me. Wash up, throw some pants on, and put your hair up. I expect you ready in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen!"

"Fourteen…"

Aphrodite shoved Deathmask out of the bathroom and turned on the shower.

The Cancer Saint settled himself on Aphrodite's bed and smirked.

It had been quite easy to persuade Marcello into breaking up with Aphrodite-the man had no backbone after all. All he'd had to do was hold a knife to his face and threaten to slit his throat. Marcello had become putty in his hands-he didn't want to die, you see.

In Deathmask's eyes, if the man wasn't willing to die for Aphrodite, he wasn't worth anything. If you weren't willing to die for the one you loved, then could you honestly say you loved them?

He felt a little bad that his intervention had put Aphrodite through pain, but if he had his way, he would have the rest of his life to make it up to him.

Enough time had been wasted, and he had died with regrets twice already. He would not die a third time with heavy weights on his heart. He would make his feelings known this time around.

The shower turned off, and Aphrodite appeared a few minutes later. His hair was wet and hanging loose. His shirt was wrinkled, his pants were awkwardly cuffed.

At first Aphrodite stared at his feet, as though he were self-conscious. Slowly, he lifted his head. Deathmask drank in the sight of his face-soft, pale skin, wide baby-blue eyes, and naturally pink lips. The Pisces Saint had absolutely no makeup on his face at all-he'd never looked more stunning.

"I feel so awkward", Aphrodite admitted, pulling his hands through his hair.

Deathmask smiled.

"You're still beautiful."


	2. Tight Spaces Invoke

A/N: Sorry if Degel seems a touch ooc, but remember-he IS fourteen here. This probably won't be the last Bluegrad story I write. I absolutely adore these characters and would like to explore more with them. Enjoy.

Title: Tight Spaces Invoke the Strangest Conversations

Pairing: Seraphina and Degel

It was a quiet afternoon in Bluegrad. Degel sat with his best friend, Unity, in Unity's study, leafing through books. Being the best friend to the prince had its perks-he knew he would never be permitted back here otherwise. It was a tiny, well-furnished room tucked in the back corner of the library.

On this afternoon, the two friends were sipping tea with blankets draped across their shoulders, fighting off the remnants of winter colds. Degel had always been an exceptionally healthy child, and he had grown into an exceptionally healthy teenager, but the frigid weather in Bluegrad made it impossible not to fall ill once in a while.

He wished he could say the same for his friend. Unity and his older sister, Seraphina, were very fragile in the health department. The pair always seemed to be ill with something. He glanced up from his book to see Unity standing up.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, smiling warmly.

Unity laughed.

"Oh, I just thought I would go for a nice, long walk. Outside."

The prince rolled his silvery-gray eyes, and Degel laughed, too.

"I guess I read that story too many times. I have grown bored with it" Unity continued.

Degel nodded and watched as his friend pushed the ladder towards one of many bookcases in the room and proceeded to climb up it. He wondered who had been the one to decorate this room-whoever it was had held a knack for placing the entirety of Unity's favorite book collection on the top shelves.

Usually, there was no problem. Today, however, there was. Unity climbed up the ladder, as he normally did, and located the one he wanted. That was when the prince blacked out, lost his footing, and slipped right off the ladder.

Degel wasted no time. In seconds, the saint-in-training was on his feet. He managed to catch his friend and break his fall; however, it was awkward catching someone who was slightly taller than you were, even if they were lighter. He slid back with his friend in his arms and landed roughly against the door to the study. A rumbling outside the door told him something had fallen over.

Degel winced as he gently set his friend on the floor.

"Are you alright, Unity?"

The prince slowly pulled his eyes open. He pressed a hand to his head and gingerly sat up.

"What happened?"

"You blacked out and fell off the ladder." Degel stood and attempted to push the door open. It opened a hair, just enough for them to peek through the crack. One of the bookshelves outside the study had fallen over and was jamming the door shut. "And we are apparently trapped in here."

"Thank you for catching me."

Unity rose to his feet and walked over to where Degel stood. He peeked out and then shrugged his thin shoulders.

"Nothing we can do for now. My father knows where we are. When we do not show for supper and our star-gazing lesson, he will send someone to fetch us."

Degel nodded.

"Guess we wait. We shouldn't be here long." He lifted one of the cups off the table and handed it to the prince. "In the meantime, you should drink. You probably blacked out from dehydration."

The pair settled themselves on the floor, neither one of them really in the mood to read anymore. Unity sipped the tea Degel had given him, and Degel watched the door. Minutes passed in silence. Finally, Unity couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Hey, Degel? What is it like in Greece?"

Degel blinked and shifted his blue eyes towards his friend.

"Greece?"

"Yes. I have never been outside of Bluegrad, except for what I read in books. I am sure actually being there is a much different experience."

"Well", Degel stated "For starters, for people like us, used to the cold, it is hot. Especially in the summer months. The heat can be unbearable. It has oceans and lots of lush plants, though."

"And flowers?"

The prince's eyes were bright with curiosity. Degel smiled warmly.

"Yes. And flowers."

Unity sighed. He set his empty cup aside and lay down on the floor, his head resting on his arms.

"I would love to see that one day."

Degel also lay down beside his friend.

"Maybe you can. Maybe one day, after I become a Saint, your father will allow you to come with me to explore Greece. We can take Seraphina with us."

He could feel a blush creep into his cheeks as he mentioned Seraphina's name.

The blush did not go unnoticed to the prince, either.

"Why, Degel? Do you fancy my sister?"

There was a note of amusement in Unity's voice. He sounded utterly delighted.

"I…what…no…I mean…" Degel stammered, his face growing warmer.

"You do. You are sweet on her."

"Please, Unity, just drop it. Even if I am sweet on her, it could never work. I am going to be a Saint, and she is a princess."

Unity stared at him as though he were stupid.

"And I am a prince, my father is a king, and you are staying in a palace. In case you have not noticed. I fail to see what my sister being a princess has to do with anything."

"I isn't proper for a Saint to court a princess. She should be courted by a prince."

"Pity you feel that way. If you were to ask her, I am sure she would accept your proposal."

Degel sighed. His face felt like it was on fire and he didn't think it was related to a fever.

"You are far nobler than any prince that would court her, Degel. I love my sister more than anyone else and want to see her happy. I know you would make her happy."

Degel shook his head. He couldn't believe he was even having this conversation.

He opened his mouth to speak, but hushed himself at the sound of footsteps. Someone was coming for them.

A man's chuckle was heard outside the door.

"It appears your brother and his friend got themselves trapped by their own favored hobby."

The pair scrambled to their feet as the bookshelf was pushed away from the door. King Garcia stood just outside the doorway, his daughter, Seraphina, behind him. Unity smiled at his father.

"Father. Thank you for coming to get us."

Degel nodded.

"Yes. Thank you, Sir."

"None of that now. Come along and be quick about it. Ill or not, you two have lessons to attend to this evening."

Unity asked his father something about the evening's lesson, but Degel's ears were deaf to the question. His eyes were locked on Seraphina. She looked positively ravishing in her blue dinner gown.

She smiled at him, and Unity's words rang in his ears.

_If you asked her, I am sure she would accept your proposal._

Was it possible that she fancied him, too? Would he ever know the answer?

_You are far nobler than any prince that would court her, Degel. I love my sister more than anyone else and want to see her happy. I know you would make her happy._

He ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his shirt. It was now or never.

"Seraphina?" he asked, keeping his voice low so Garcia and Unity wouldn't hear.

"Degel?" the girl responded, fixing her full attention on him.

"Would you care to go star-gazing with me this evening?"

She smiled at him.

"I would love to."


	3. If I Had Known

A/N: Not a whole lot to say about this one. It flowed pretty easily. A lot of people don't like Cassios, but I felt he deserved some recognition. He gave his life for Shaina's happiness. If that isn't true love, I don't know what is.

I am going to be very busy Wednesday and will be unable to post my update then, so as a treat, I am posting both updates today. =) I hope you will take the time out to review each chapter. See you next Saturday.

Title: If I Had Known…

Pairing: Shaina and Cassios.

Shaina's heart plummeted to her knees when she saw him. Something was wrong. Horrifically, disturbingly wrong. He lay motionless in Aiolia's arms, bloodied, eyes open, but fixed. His chest wasn't even moving to indicate breath.

"Aiolia…" she whispered, unable to voice the question she already knew the answer to.

"I'm sorry", Aiolia whispered back somberly. "This is my fault."

His green eyes were moist with unshed tears as he stared at the body he held cradled in his arms. He was refusing to look her in the face.

"W-what do you mean?" she demanded of the gold Saint.

He was one of the noblest people she knew. How could this possibly be his fault?

The Leo Saint did not respond right away. He gently set Cassios's body on the ground and closed his eyes. Shaina had to admit that with his eyes closed, Cassios looked like he was at peace. There was even a small smile playing on his face.

When Aiolia did speak, his voice was thick with grief.

"I was under the false Pope's control. To come out of the spell, I had to see someone die in front of my eyes. I was trying to kill off Seiya…but he…he knew how much you love Seiya, and so he gave up his life so you would have a chance at happiness."

Aiolia's words both warmed Shaina's heart and broke it.

Cassios.

Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, yet she made no attempt to hide them. She didn't care if Aiolia saw her cry. She glanced down at her former student's broken body. Their relationship had gone beyond simple master and student roles. He had always been there for her, tending to her wounds when she had been injured and being her listening ear when she needed to vent and rant.

Even when he failed to make it as a Saint, he had stood by her, protecting her in his own way.

What hurt is that she had taken it all for granted, always assuming he would be there. He was younger than she was, after all. Now he had passed on, and it hit her like a train wreck just how much he had actually meant to her.

A large, warm hand came to rest on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Aiolia was still with her. His smile was gentle.

"Shaina", he said. "We must lay him to rest properly. We can't leave him here."

She nodded.

"I know. Just give me a few minutes"

She knew they didn't really have a few minutes, not with all the stuff going on in the Gold Temples, but she wasn't quite ready yet.

Aiolia seemed to understand. He turned his back to her and walked a short distance away to give her some privacy.

"Cassios…" she murmured, taking one of his cold hands in her own. "If only I had known how strong your feelings were for me…if only I wasn't so proud to tell you that I really did value your company. Thank you for staying with me as long as you did. I promise not to let your sacrifice be in vain."

She kissed his hand and set it down.

As if on cue, Aiolia walked back over to her.

He had also been crying, she realized. His eyes were a little red and tear trails marred his cheeks.

Wordlessly, he pulled Cassios's frame back into his arms. The pair walked in silence until they found the spot that would serve as Cassios's final resting place.

They stayed in silence as they dug the grave and covered him up. Aiolia bowed his head.

"Don't" Shaina said.

"Huh?" He looked at her, confusion evident on his face.

"Don't feel guilty that this happened. This isn't your fault and beating yourself up over it will just make a mockery of his sacrifice. He knew what needed to be done and did it…he would have made a good Saint."

"One of the best" Aiolia agreed.

"I never told him how much I valued his friendship, you know. I like to think he somehow knew, but I feel horrible about that. If I had known he was going to die so young, I would have made it a point to thank him for all that he has done for me instead of just hoping he knows how much I appreciated it."

A silence fell over them again.

"He knew" Aiolia said finally.

She looked over at him.

"The bonds two people share are felt, not spoken. Marin's never told me how much she cares for me, but I know it is there."

His face went slightly red and Shaina had to chuckle a little. Seeing a gold Saint blushing like a school girl was nothing short of adorable.

He smiled sheepishly.

"The point is, Cassios loved you, and you loved him. True, the types of love may not have been the same, but you both cared for one another and valued each other. He knew exactly what your feelings were."

The Leo Saint's eyes widened suddenly.

"Sorry, I know this is not a good time, but have you seen Marin?"

Shaina shook her head.

"The last rumor I heard was she was going to try to get to Star Hill."

Aiolia's face paled.

"She'll get herself killed"

Shaina gave him a gentle push.

"I will be fine. Go to her."

"Take care, Shaina"

He was off and running.

Shaina shook her head.

She turned her gaze heavenward and smiled.

"Cassios. Thank you."


	4. Regret, or Something Like It

A/N: I'm really proud of myself with how this came out! I don't even like Youma, yet I managed to write a fic about him and present him as a human being. I'm kind of sad that this got completed so early in the collection, as this is going to be a tough act to follow. Enjoy!

Title: Regret, Or Something Like It

Pairing: Partitia and Youma

He was…dying? Could dying feel this peaceful? He felt no pain, only a steadily increasing pressure. His body was growing heavier and heavier, the fires that had fueled him cooling. It was a struggle to keep his eyes open, he was suddenly tired. So very tired. He wanted rest…could he really find rest? His eyes slipped shut.

A cool sensation brushed past his cheek, and he forced his eyes open. It was her. She was standing before him, calling him, pleading him to come with her. A pang ripped through him.

Partitia.

She was such a cute girl, a sweet girl. She had been his whole world. Was this an illusion? A cruel joke?

He couldn't even find it in himself to be angry if it was. He deserved it.

"Come to me"

"Partitia?"

Her name escaped his lips and he stared at her. She was walking away, beckoning him to follow her. Her eyes, bright, reddish-brown pools of color, sparkled at him with all the love and devotion he remembered.

She had the same eyes as his son…their son. Tenma. When they'd lain together and created Tenma, it had been out of love, hadn't it? He remembered loving her…he'd loved their son, too, and the family they'd had until he'd stupidly ruined it. For what?

Revenge. Revenge over something that happened so long ago…he suddenly felt so foolish. He could have had everything, until his madness got in the way. They could have been happy. Things could have been so different. He'd destroyed everything.

His son hated him, his wife was dead, and soon, he was going to die himself.

"Come to me"

She still beckoned to him.

He still resisted her.

He couldn't go to her.

How could he face her again when he had ruined her chances of happiness? How could he go to her knowing his madness had caused so much suffering for her and their son?

He was trembling now, fighting so hard. So very hard. This was worse than he ever imagined. The lack of physical pain only let the emotional pain strike him that much harder.

A soft sob escaped his throat and he felt a few hot tears roll down his face.

Partitia.

She had stopped moving. He couldn't help himself. He loved her so much, it hurt.

He reached out a hand towards her, but she was too far away to touch.

"Come to me"

He pulled himself to his feet. Heavy. His body was so very heavy, as though all his bones had become steel pipes and his blood had been replaced with liquid silver. It took all his effort to move one foot in front of the other, but he had to get to her. She was waiting for him.

Slowly, one foot in front of the other, he struggled towards her, ready to beg her forgiveness if he had to. He could not die without apologizing to her for all he had done.

For all that he had faked in his life; his love for her was genuine.

Closer, he was getting closer to her now. So close.

She extended her hand to him.

He extended his hand to her.

Their hands clasped together for the first time in years, and he felt the weights lift off his heart. He felt light, lighter than he could ever remember feeling.

She smiled at him, and he knew. She forgave him.

He truly did not deserve her love, but somehow, he had it.

Her arms wrapped around him and she drew him to her chest.

Comfort. Joy. Love.

He felt all of that in her arms. He sighed in contentment as her fingers found their way through his hair, just as he remembered.

He'd always been so happy in her arms. He was content to stay where he was for eternity if he was permitted to.

He felt so at peace, so whole. His need for vengeance was so far from him, his hatred gone. He was still so tired, though. So very tired. More tired than he had ever felt in his life. He could not even see straight.

"Sleep"

Her voice against his ear, gentle, lyrical. Sleep. Sleep sounded all too good.

"You came back to me. Now it is time for you to rest."

Yes, rest. He needed rest-he could barely recall the last time he'd had rest.

His eyes slipped shut and he exhaled deeply.

He could rest now. It was alright. Everything was alright-he was where he belonged.

His wife continued to work her fingers through his hair, relaxing him more and more. There was nothing holding him back anymore. It was time to rest.

He drew another deep breath, and then he knew no more.


	5. What Happens At Sea

Title: What Happens at Sea (Stays at Sea)

Pairing: Tethys and Sorrento

**WARNING**: Implied sexual content ahead. Nothing graphic or detailed, I don't even consider it enough to change the rating, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what they're doing. If this bothers you, please exit out now. If not, enjoy the update.

It was a voyage that had taken nine years to become a reality. Years of planning and thousands of dollars spent to ensure every detail was perfect. He had been by Julian's side every step of the way as far as the planning was concerned. Their hard work was rewarded in late December, just in time for the Christmas holiday. Their small group, which consisted of Julian, Julian's girlfriend, Saori, himself, and his own girlfriend, Tethys, boarded a ship and headed for tropical waters. It had been the most romantic Christmas ever.

For months, their small group were out at sea, dancing, singing, and enjoying beautiful sunsets and starry nights. They shared early morning breakfasts on the main deck and watched the sun come up. On warmer nights, they would take blankets up to the deck and sit around, staying up all night to tell stories until breakfast.

His only complaint was the lack of privacy.

His entire relationship with Tethys had taken place on that boat. He had asked her out on the boat, danced with her on the boat, shared their first kiss on the boat.

Eventually, they docked the boat in Greece on Julian's twenty-fifth birthday so that Julian and Saori could officially announce their engagement. From there, they would head to Japan, though he suspected by the time they reached it, the engagement of Julian Solo and Saori Kido would have already reached the ears of the Japanese community. Not that this really concerned him all that much. He had other things to ponder.

Such as the fact that this would be the first time he and Tethys had total privacy. Oh, sure, they would be expected back for the engagement party later that evening, but they had the whole day to themselves.

As it so happened, he didn't have to think about what they should do during their time alone. Tethys appeared before him almost immediately after Julian and Saori had vanished into the Solo mansion.

"Let's go, Sorrento", she said, sounding almost as though she were whining. "I don't know how Saori wears these things! They're so constricting!"

She glared at her pale yellow gown as though it was mortally offending her. Sorrento smiled. He had grown used to wearing suits during their travels and conducting himself as a proper young gentleman. Thetys, on the other hand, had a fire and spunk to her. She could look the part of a lady, but under the frilly dresses and torturously coiffed hair was a free-spirit begging to be set free.

"You don't want to change your clothes first?" he asked.

The last thing he wanted was for her to be uncomfortable.

She shook her head.

"No time. We have to be quick about this. I have a surprise for you."

And without another word, she grabbed his hand and dragged him onto the beach. After walking for nearly an hour, Sorrento found himself on a cliff, overlooking a spiraling whirlpool of ocean. He could just imagine trying to sail through that. The people on that boat would be lost at sea, never to be found again.

Vertigo was starting to settle in. He took a dizzy step away from the edge of the cliff when Tethys spoke again.

"Hopefully you won't find this too frightening. Julian found it terrifying when I brought him down. Kanon didn't like the trip much, either."

"Down?" Sorrento asked, a frown forming on his face.

Tethys didn't answer. She simply kicked off her heels and looped her arms around his waist and chest.

"Here we go", she said cheerfully.

To Sorrento's absolute horror, she pitched them both off the cliff and into the swirling vortex of black water below.

A short scream escaped his lips before they were completely immersed in the water. He closed his eyes to prevent the stingy salt water from getting in them. What was she doing? He never thought she was suicidal.

Just before he could pass out from lack of air, they came to a stop. He could breathe again. Slowly, he pulled open his eyes, an involuntary gasp escaping his lips.

He was lying on his back on a white tile floor, staring up at the sea above him. They were back in Atlantis.

"H-how?" he stammered, jumping to his feet and staring around with bewildered eyes. "This place was destroyed."

"We fixed it"

"We?"

"Kanon and me. It took a while, but I couldn't let it stay in ruins. Kanon agreed to help. I think he still feels guilty about what happened."

Sorrento touched one of the glistening stone pillars.

"This is incredible."

Tethys smiled.

"Come, look around."

Her bare feet made little wet prints as she crossed over to him and took his hand. Her dress was clinging to the curves of her body, and her long, blonde hair had escaped its bindings, falling around her shoulders.

She had never looked so beautiful to him.

"I'd rather just look at you"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She chuckled and draped her arms around his neck.

"This is our first time alone together since we started dating, isn't it? I have an idea how to remedy that problem."

His breath hitched. This wasn't how proper gentlemen conducted themselves, yet the mere sight of her was so very tempting.

"Tethys, we can't…"

She pressed herself against him, so close he could feel the heat of her warm body through his soaked shirt.

"I've waited for this a long time."

He could smell her perfume, a sweet, intoxicating blend of rosehips and jasmine mixed with the fragrance of the sea. He couldn't stand it any longer.

He closed what little gap was left between them, pressing his lips against hers, his hands sliding along the curves of her body. Her hands tangled themselves in his hair.

He cradled her to his body so he could gently lower her to tile floor below.

"Are you sure about this?"

She responded by grabbing his tie and pulling him down for another kiss.

An hour later found the pair sprawled across the stone floors of Atlantis. Her head rested against his bare chest, their hands entwined. There were no words spoken between them, just a still silence as they watched the ocean overhead.

"Sorrento?" she whispered.

"Huh?"

The lazy tone of his voice told he was about to drift off to sleep.

"We have to leave soon. You can't fall asleep. We need to get up and get dressed."

He sighed and let go of her hand. She pulled herself off him.

"Are we going to show Julian?" he asked curiously.

She shook her head.

"Not right now. For now, I want this to be our secret place. As much as I enjoy Julian and Saori's company, there are times when I wish to be alone with just you. There's no one but the ocean waves to watch us down here, and really, who are they going to tell?"

He nodded.

"What happens at sea stays at sea"


	6. The Fragrance of Kindness

A/N: This was…incredibly difficult for me to write. My emotional mindset was very off, and for the longest time, I didn't want to sit down and write anything. But, life must go on, so I present the next chapter.

Title: Fragrance of Kindness

Pairing: Agatha and Albafica

The first time she encountered him, she thought he was rude. It boggled her mind that someone so callous and antisocial could really be a Saint of Athena, let alone one of her chosen twelve. That the man could tell her so gruffly to stay away from him, as though she were no better than the ground they walked upon, bothered her like nothing else ever had.

Confused, she had rushed home to talk to her father about what had happened.

"So. You met the Pisces Saint, I take it?" he asked after she had finished pouring her story to him.

She bit her lip.

"Papa, why does he have to be so mean? What could I have possibly done to make Sir Albafica so angry with me?"

She could feel her green eyes filling with hot tears, but she was determined not to let them fall.

Her father smiled sadly.

"Agatha, don't be so harsh on Sir Albafica. I am sure he didn't mean to offend you. He is physically unable to be around other people. He was trying to protect you."

Agatha frowned.

"Protect me? What do you mean, Papa?"

"Sir Albafica has a toxic running through his veins. His very blood is so poisonous that he can not be around other people. He may have seemed harsh to you, honey, but he was just trying to make sure you didn't get too close to him."

Agatha's eyes filled with tears again, and this time, she allowed them to fall.

"That's horrible, Papa! He must be so lonely!"

"That is the path he chose for himself. No one is forced into Sainthood. Sir Albafica is called to a higher duty and does what he must."

Agatha stared at her hands, overcome by pity for the man. He hadn't been intentionally rude. He had been trying to protect her.

Albafica…

As luck would have it the next day the Cancer saint, Manigoldo, came strutting up to the shop. Though he wore an arrogant grin on his face, she felt no fear around him, sensing he was basically a kind man. He told her, rather quickly, as if embarrassed, that the Pope's birthday was that day, and though it was last minute, he wanted a large bouquet of flowers to be delivered to him at the Sanctuary.

Under normal circumstances, a last minute order would have been rejected, as she and her father were quite busy. However, these were not normal circumstances, and Agatha certainly wasn't about to turn a Gold saint away. The rather large sum of money Manigoldo offered her for her assistance didn't hurt anything, either.

When asked if there was anything in particular he wanted in the order, Manigoldo shrugged his broad shoulders and admitted he knew nothing of flowers. He told her to make it look the best she could and left the shop. Agatha watched him go for a moment, stunned. Was it written somewhere that to be a Gold saint, one had to be an exceptionally good-looking young man? Once she'd recovered from her girlish lapse in sense, she set aside her other orders and set to work on the one for the Pope.

It took over an hour to get the order to look the way Manigoldo had requested it. By the time she had finished, it looked like a terrible storm was brewing. She sighed, knowing she would have to walk out in the rain to deliver the flowers. Maybe if she walked quickly, she could get the order to the Sanctuary without damaging it. Once the flowers were out of her hands, she could run back.

She let her father know she was off to deliver the flowers to the Pope and set out. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the sweet fragrance of the storm mixing with the flowers she held in her hands. The scent was intoxicating, far more exotic than any perfume.

Then the sky opened up and pelted her with a heavy torrent of water. She drew her slender shoulders together, instinctively pulling the flowers closer to her tiny frame. The cool wind toyed with the skirts on her long dress, nearly causing her to trip, as the water penetrated her skin, freezing her to the bone.

She grit her teeth and pushed forward, seeing the stairs leading to the Sanctuary. Soon.

As abruptly as the rain had started, it stopped. She blinked, and then realized someone was holding a cloth over her. She gazed up and gasped.

Long, silken straight strands of sky blue hair framed a strikingly handsome face. Blue eyes, a shade darker than the man's hair, gazed at her, their expression unreadable. The man, moving as though he were afraid of getting too close to her, gently covered her shaking frame with the cloth and took the flowers into his pale, toned arms.

She pulled the heavy white fabric around her, grateful for the warmth it provided.

"You are the girl from yesterday. I am sorry if I upset you."

Agatha felt herself blush all the way down to the roots of her hair. How wrong she had been!

"I wasn't upset. Honest" she lied quickly.

Albafica smiled slightly, as though he knew the truth, and nodded towards the flowers he held in his arms.

"I will finish the delivery for you. Thank you for coming this far."

He turned and walked away, the wind whipping his long blue hair all over the place. She cringed as she imagined how much it was going to hurt him when he had to brush all the knots from his hair.

Agatha watched him until she couldn't see him any longer. As she left to head back to the shop, she wondered if she would see him again. She jogged all the way back to the shop. She felt as though she were floating on air from her brief encounter with the Pisces saint.

Back at the shop, she pulled the cloth off her body. It had done a wonderful job of keeping her warm. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was-he had wrapped her up in his cape.

She folded the cape under her arm, smiling as she caught a faint whiff of roses, similar to the scent she had noticed coming from his hair.

From now on, she would associate the scent of the flowers with his act of kindness. If only she could thank him somehow. Her eyes fell on a luscious yellow rose. Yes. That would work beautifully. She would present him with it the next time she saw him.

It would have to be soon.

Albafica would be needing his cape back after all.


End file.
